Anthropometric characteristics of elite female junior rowers

Abstract

During the 1997 Federation Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron (FISA) World Junior Rowing Championships, the anthropometric characteristics of 245 female junior rowers aged 17.5 +/- 0.8 years (mean +/- s) were assessed. Twenty-seven body dimensions (body mass, 6 heights or lengths, 4 breadths, 10 girths and 6 skinfolds) were measured in total. The elite female junior rowers were taller (174.5 +/- 6.2 cm) and heavier (69.5 +/- 6.2 kg), with greater length, breadth and girth dimensions, but lower skinfold thicknesses than a representative sample of Flemish (Belgian) girls of the same chronological age. An anthropometric profile chart was constructed that was rowing-specific and norms were established. Compared with scullers, sweep rowers were heavier (+4.2 kg) and taller (+2.8 cm), with greater length, breadth (except for femur width) and girth dimensions (except for calf girth). Sweep rowers also had greater skinfold thicknesses (except for the thigh and calf skinfolds). Finalists were heavier (+3.6 kg) and taller (+3.9 cm), with greater length, breadth (except for femur width) and girth dimensions (except for calf girth) than non-finalists. No significant differences were found for skinfold thicknesses between finalists and non-finalists.

Anthropometric Characteristic, Somatotype and Body Composition of Canadian Female Rowers

“…In rowing tall athletes have an advantage of their long arms and legs for paddling much longer [ 11,14,18,19]. Data from elite adult rowers had shown that lean body mass and body dimensions were related to performance because they were significant determinants of muscle strength and range of motion during rowing [11,13,18,19 ].…”

“…Stature is an important factor in rowing which helps to get more mechanical help to create more force during rowing [11,18,19]. In rowing tall athletes have an advantage of their long arms and legs for paddling much longer [ 11,14,18,19].…”

“…In rowing tall athletes have an advantage of their long arms and legs for paddling much longer [ 11,14,18,19]. Data from elite adult rowers had shown that lean body mass and body dimensions were related to performance because they were significant determinants of muscle strength and range of motion during rowing [11,13,18,19 ]. The elite rowers were usually taller and heavier [15,16,28,29] than the less successful rowers and also taller and heavier than athletes of other sports [10,17].Some literature supported tall stature for female rowers which was approximately 180cm [30,31].In the present study, observed average height of the Canadian female rowers was 178.1 (±6.1) cm with a range of 170 -193.5 cm which was higher than the female rowers of Montreal Olympic games 1976 and 1985 World Championship (Table 2) but very similar to 179.2 cm stated by Heath and Carter for North American rowers [32].…”

“…For talent identification as well as for periodization of training program, somatotyping is an important criterion where studies on the rowers can be used as reference. There were very few studies on Canadian female rowers for their anthropometrical aspects and somatotype rating [6,10,11,[16][17][18][19]. Thus, the present study was aimed to evaluate the somatotype traits of Canadian female rowers.…”

Cross-sectional analysis of rowing power and technique of German junior women in the eight

“…The anthropometric requirements of the German Junior Women (N = 156) were above findings for the finalists of the 1997 WRJC refereed by Bourgois et al (2001), (Table 1). Body height and mass of the junior women was already at the same level of senior women open class (Table 1).…”